Agricultural Extension Support Officer at Christian Aid Nigeria

Christian Aid (CA) is a UK-based international NGO, partnering with others to end poverty in Africa. At the heart of this vision is the transformation of the lives of people who live in poverty, empowering them to have a brighter future. Christian Aid works in more than 30 countries and has been operating in Nigeria since 2003. The Nigeria Country programme focuses on Community Health and HIV, Accountable Governance including humanitarian response and Gender.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Agricultural Extension Support Officer
Job Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Type of Contract: Fixed Term
Contracted Hours: 35
Reports to (Job Title): Food Security and Livelihood Coordinator

Role purpose

• The Extension Support Officer will support the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) project and perform his/her role to carry out all agricultural extension activities under the supervision of Food Security & Livelihood Coordinator.

Role context

• The Agric Extension Officer will perform overall his/her role to carry out all agriculture & Livestock activities under the supervision of FSL Coordinator. She/he will also coordinate local communities, in close coordination with Food Security and Livelihood Coordinator

Key outcomes

• Ensure implementation of Agricultural extension services & farmer field schools activities.
• Assist in training design, perpetration of training module for training especially for agricultural extension service and FFS.
• Write precise report of the activities; weekly & monthly basis;
• Support the distribution of Agric. Inputs & Livestock.
• Support work plan development and reporting to ensure accurate monitoring and documentation of activities.
• Ensure beneficiaries understands extension delivery and how to access it
• Undertake regular field visits to ensure quality and timeliness of all activities implemented.
• Supervise project beneficiaries.
• Develop beneficiaries’ performance objectives and conduct periodic reviews and evaluations.
• Prepare internal reports within agreed deadlines using Christian Aid and donor formats, as required.

Other tasks:

• Assist in any other related matters necessary for the execution of the project

Role Requirements
Relationships:

• External: The post holder will be required to work closely with project beneficiaries and their communities.
• Internal: Works closely with the Project Manager, wider project team, Nigeria country team, humanitarian colleagues and field based volunteers.

Decision making:

• The ability to make day to day decisions on issues around field activities to assist in the administration and smooth running of the projects.

Analytical skills:

• Analytical skills desirable to perform day to day field support responsibilities.

Developing self and others:

• Typically involved in developing others’ skills by directing project work or in coaching and mentoring others. May have the direct responsibility for developing, coaching and motivating one or more staff, undertakes performance reviews and development of action plans to improve the performance of others, whether staff or volunteers

Person Specification
Applied skills/knowledge and expertise

 Essential:

• Graduate in Agricultural Science/Agronomy/Agric Extension/Animal Science
• Minimum 2-year experience in leading Agric. based interventions.
• Coordination experience with different partners and stakeholders.
• Experience in staff supervision and capacity building and developing training module.
• Local language skills – Hausa and Kanuri.
• Proficiency of writing and verbal - English
• Ability to maintain good working relationship with colleagues and beneficiaries
• Most importantly, commitment to Christian Aid values and principles

Desirable:

• Familiarity with the culture of conflict and/or disaster- affected populations, ability to develop respect from a wide range of people and strong ability to communicate effectively on sanitation and hygiene matters.
• Fluency in the language of the working area (Hausa) is appreciated and the international language used in the humanitarian operation

IT competency required:

• Intermediate

Competency Profile
LEVEL 1: You are expected to be able to:

Build partnerships:

• Work in a reliable, helpful and cooperative way with all colleagues and provide help to others without needing to be asked
• Willingly participate in team work and contribute ideas, including those that may be beyond your own or your team’s role
• Keep others informed about what is going on in your own work area
• Treat everyone with courteousness, dignity and respect, accepting that people are different and have different views
• Act consistently with what you say.

Communicate effectively:

• Communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing
• Pass on a clear message or information promptly and accurately
• Ask additional questions to clarify when needed
• Eplain things simply and in a different way if someone appears not to have understood
• Be aware of how your actions and words impact on others and adapt if necessary.

Steward resources:

• Use resources economically, whether these are Christian Aid resources or wider environmental resources
• Recognise that time is a resource and take responsibility for managing your time effectively.

Deliver results:

• Agree your work plan, keep track of your own progress and keep others informed
• Check the quality of your own work and deliver to expectations
• Seek clarification and support from your manager when needed and ensure appropriate sign-off
• Respond promptly to the requests of others, seeking guidance on priorities and workload when needed
• Consider the consequences of your actions, including the impact on your work and colleagues
• Take personal responsibility for your actions

Realise potential:

• Ask for information and advice to address your own knowledge and skills gaps in order to learn
• Regularly ask for and act on feedback on your performance
• Assist others by showing them how to complete tasks
• Demonstrate concern for the wellbeing of others
• Act and behave consistently in line with Christian Aid’s values.

Strive for improvement:

• Demonstrate openness to change
• Respond quickly and helpfully to new initiatives
• Find ways to make improvements in your work
• Show initiative when faced with problems
• Willingly share knowledge and information that may help others.

Salary
N4,103,445

Interview Date
20th June, 2018.

Click here for more on the Position Description (PDF)